More rain in north India soon: IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Saturday forecast more rain across several northern states in the coming few days.

In an year when India feared a drought-like situation due to El Nino phenomenon, IMD Director B.P. Yadav told IANS there is "nothing to worry" while ruling away fears of a shortfall in rain.

"There will be more rain in north India in the coming few days," Yadav told IANS.

He said rainfall was already "fine" in rest of the country, and with northern India getting more rain, the deficit in monsoon will go down.

"The monsoon is recovering, there is nothing to worry... Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, parts of Haryana and Delhi will receive more rain in the coming days," the IMD director said.

Yadav said the deficit in rainfall till July 13 was 43 percent, which has now come down to 23-24 percent.

"There has been a vast improvement in the past 10 days. The situation will improve further in the coming days and the deficit will go down. There is no fear of drought, even though parts of Punjab and Haryana may still receive less rain," he said.

The IMD has blamed lack of low pressure zone in northern India for scanty rain. A low pressure zone is now developing, according to IMD officials.

For the coming few days, the IMD has forecast increase in rainfall activity over eastern India, adjoining central India and western Himalayan region, besides rain and thundershowers at many places over northeastern states and at most places along west coast, and scattered rainfall over northwestern plains.